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OF THE 



TOWN OF GROTON, 



TOMPKINS COUNTY, N, Y., 



EEIXG A 



LECTURE 

DELIVERED BEFORE THE 

GROTON LITERARY ASSOCIATION 

BY 

Prof, 31. 31. BALDWIWy 31. A., 

FRiyClPSL OF GROTOy ACADEMY, 

miDAY EVEHINGj APRIL 10, 1888. 



PUBHSHKD BY THE ASSOCIATION. 



GROTON, N. Y.: __:.^: 

n. C. MAKSII, PPtlNTEi;, GROTON JOURNAL OFFICK. 

3. fi© !?. 






CORRESPONDENCE. 



PnoF. M. M. BALDWIN— 

DeaPv Sir : Having learned that you are in pos- 
session of a large number of facts on the early settlement and history of the' 
Town of Groton, and feeling that it will be highly interesting to the commu- 
nity generally, we would be much gratified if you would prepare a Lecture 
therefrom, to be delivered before our Association, at such time as may suit 
your convenience. Yours, &c., 



Groton, Jan. 22, 18G8. 



C. H. SPAULDING, 
S. U. JONES, 
H. K. CLAKK, 



Lecture Committee.- 



Groton Acadejiy, Jan. 23, 1868. 
GENTLEMEN :— 

As intimated in j'our note of invitation, I have, for some 
time, been collecting information concerning the history of the Village and of 
the Town of Groton, and shall take pleasure in presenting the same, in Lec- 
ture form, to our citizens, at the earliest day I can do so convenient!}'. 

Yours, with respect, M. M. BALDWIN. 

To Messrs. C. II. Sraulding, S. U. Jones, and H. K. Clark, Lecture 
Committee of the Groton Literary Association. 



LECTURE. 



Fellow Citizens : — 

History has been called Wisdom's most pleasant scliool. By ity 
Heaven is constantl_y teaching- mankind important lessons. Among 
these, traced in unmistakable lines, we find that God would have 
men, by painful toil, change the barren wilderness into fruitful gar- 
dens ; and also, that the race is destined to pass from the low state 
of the wild-man gradually to higher and higher types of excellence. 
It was never intended that these hills and valleys should remain 
mere hunting-grounds for savages, or haunts of wild beasts. They 
were designed to be peopled by enlightened, yea, Christianized hu' 
manity. And I am to speak to you on this occasion, of those who 
first began to fell those tall old forest-trees which once towered here 
heaven-ward, who first constructed the abodes of civilized man, who 
introduced domestic animals and first turned the soil with the use- 
ful plow, and, who laid the firm foundations of those humanizing 
institutions in the midst of which we now dwell. Would that they 
were alive to-da}', and moving in our midst, to t^ll the story of those 
earljr days ! With what eagerness would we not listen. But, alas ! 
those pioneers have all passed to their reward, and also, bj^ far the 
greater portion of their immediate successors. Of the latter, a few 
remain to delight us with their pleasant society, and to instruct us 
with their vivid descriptions of the pioneers themselves and their 
many trials. Thus we can realize, in part, the fact that the chan- 
ges which have taken place in this vicinity within the present centu- 
ry, have been brought about only by very great toil, sacrifices, and 
sufferings. 

As introductory, permit me to quote all that I have been able to 
find, which has been printed upon this subject. French's Gazetteer, 
compiled in 1860, says : "Among the first settlers of the town were 
Samuel Hogg, at West Groton ; Ichabod Bowen, [Brown?], John 
Guthrie, and Perrin, at Groton j and J. Williams, J. Hough- 



taling, and W. S. Clark, at East Groton." The New Topograplii- 
cal Atlas of Tompkins Co., published in 1866, says : "; Among the 
first settlers were Samuel Hogg at West Groton ; Ichabod Brown 
and John Guthrie at Groton, and J. Willoughby, J. Houghtaiiug 
and W. S. Clark at East Groton." This information is probably 
as correct as strangers passing through the town and inquiring ou 
the road, would be likely to obtain. But who the first settlers tru- 
ly were, can be determined only on an actual comparison of well 
authenticated dates. 

This part of the State of New York was known, at first, as " The 
Military District," which title was bestowed upon it soon after the 
close of the American Revolution. After having driven the Brit- 
ish invaders from our soil, and having secured the liberties of our 
nation for all-coming time, our noble army was disbanded. Each 
soldier, though rich in glory and crowned with imperishable laurels, 
returned to the bosom of that society he had contributed to save, 
in most cases in a very destitute and impoverished condition. But 
they went not alone, for the hearts of the entire nation went with 
them. As a slight token of gratitude, a law was passed bestowing 
upon them, pensions and bounty-lands. This region, then a howl- 
ing wilderness, was surveyed into townships ten miles square ; and 
these were divided into lots a mile square, under the superintend- 
ence of lion. Simeon DeWitt, then Surveyor General of the State. 
The lots of twenty of these townships were bestowed by the State 
of New York, upon survivors of the New York line in that heroic 
army. In process of time, they were to be settled j and, as it hap- 
pened, it was undertaken at a very auspicious period. The terrible 
storm of the Revolution had passed away. The " garments dyed 
in blood" had disappeared, and no foe by his presence alarmed the 
weak and the fearful. Even the fierce Aborigines had been swept 
from this entire region by that wonderfully successful campaign of 
Gen. Sullivan. Though Napoleon Bonaparte, that mighty chieftain, 
" the lowly born," was sliaking the thrones of the mightiest mon- 
archs of Europe with the thunders of his artillery, yet those dread 
sounds died far away from our shores; and, if known at all, they 
were little heeded l)y those who were then making feel>le settle- 
ments here and there amid the hills and valleys of Tompkins 
Count3'. 

At the close of the last century, settlements were made nearly 
simultaneously in various portions of the town. But the honor of 
first settling this beautiful valley in the center of the town, is not 
undisputed. Many-tongued tradition brings to us at leas.t two some- 
what dill'erent stories. One is, that l']pliraim SpauMing and ^Michael 



Grummon, from Battleborougli, Vt., came to this place in June, 
1795, cleared sis acres of ground wliere tlie Academy now stands, 
and sowed it to winter wheat, and built two log houses : one for 
Spaulding, near where Wm. Hicks now lives, and one for Grum- 
mon north of the Sulphur Spring. That they were here before 
1804 is undisputed. The other story is, that Major Benjamin 
Hicks, who had served with distinction in the Eevolution, under 
Col. Willet at Fort Stanwix, (now Rome,) against the British and 
Indians, in the many bloody battles fought in that vicinity, and to 
whom Lot No. 75, in the town of Locke, now Groton, had fallen, 
then living near Oanajoharie, N. Y., had in his employ during 
the summer of 1797, John Perrin, formerly of Berkshire Co. Mass. 
During said time. Hicks made an arrangement with Pen-in to move 
upon said lot, commence clearing it off, cause it to be surveyed, and 
to offer such portions of it to actual settlers as he should be able. 
In October of that year, two teams with lumber wagons loaded with 
provisions, household furniture and other necessaries were fitted out ; 
Perrin and his wife, with Ebenezer Williams, from Charlemont, 
Mass., going with the first load, and Ezra Carpenter, from Savoy, 
Mass., with the second. On and on they traveled day after day, 
over roads well nigh impassable. During the latter part of their 
journey, when they had left all beaten paths behind them, Williams 
acted as guide to the teams, going forward on foot and selecting 
the track. For the last few miles he was directed by the " blazed 
trees," along the lines which had been left by the original surveyor, 
It seems that on the last day of their lonely journey, he had gone 
far ahead of the teams and had actually arrived at the bounds of 
" the promised land." Here lay lot 75 in all its primeval loveli- 
ness, but silent and solitary. At one time, he saw, in the distance, 
beautiful wild deer as they swiftly fled away ; and, at another, a 
huge black bear, which slowly and reluctantly retreated before him, 
yielding his sceptre to one mightier and more intelligent than he. 
Having hastily observed the " lay of the land," he returned to meet 
his companions, whom he found in the vicinity of James Maclach- 
lan's. When some ten rods south of Benj. Hatch's, they found a 
tree turned up from the roots. Here they halted ; and beside this 
tree, they built a sort of shelter from the elements, which they oc- 
cupied, for nearly a month, while they constructed a permanent 
dwelling. On the first or second day in the dusk of the evening, 
they were surprised in hearing this question pronounced in a clear, 
and manly voice, "What are you doing here?" Looking around 
they beheld a hunter in full dress ; and they soon learned that he 
was John Bowker, (father of Clinton Bowker), one of the first set- 



tiers of Lansing, then on his way to visit friends in Dryden. Of 
course he camped with^them. Their house was of log, and was lo- 
cated in the hollow south of Roland White's, and some four rods 
west of the road. It is said that the ground was then so marshy, 
that it took them all day to cross with their teams, for the first time, 
the valley from their brush shanty to their log ''palace." This is 
claimed to be the first house in this part ot the town. Then Wil- 
liams, who was a surveyor, went on foot to Cortland, and borrowed 
a compass and chain of Samuel Crittenden, grandfather of our G. 
D. Crittenden ; and, with these they surveyed the lot, and sub-divi- 
ded it into portions suitable for farms, preparatory to offering them for 
sale, in accordance with Major Hicks' plan. Before winter set in, 
Williams and Carpenter returned to Canajoharie, and thence to 
Mass. Now whether Spaulding and Grummon, or John Perrin and 
wife were the first settlers in this vicinity, let others decide. The 
latter, it seems to me, is much the most probable. 

In 1804, Dea. Benjamin Williams, now eighty-four years of age, 
a brother of Ebenezer Williams, and also of Mrs. John Perrin, came 
to Groton to reside. From him I learn that Perrin and wnfe pass- 
ed the winter of 1797-8 alone in the wilderness. The next spring, 
his father, Lemuel Perrin, and family came and settled on the thir- 
ty-nine acres, where B. Hatch's dwelling now is. It cost him three 
dollars per acre, and he afterwards sold it to Amzi Clark for $18. 
pel" acre. Also S. Jenks Carpenter, father of our Ruel B. Carpenter, 
came from Savoy. He worked for J. Perrin that summer, and 
claimed to help clear off the first piece of land in the vicinity In 
1803, he bought fifty acres where Mr. A. Page resides, and paid for 
it one hundred and fourteen dollars " in gold." Ephraim Spaulding 
built a house a little east of Wm. Hicks', which he sold to Ezra 
Loomis, who occupied it in 1804. Samuel Ingalls and Silas Stu- 
art came about this time ; also Michael Grummon who built a 
house near F. A. Sherman's. May 7, 1802, Jonas Williams pur- 
chased one hundred and six acres for $320.25 and built upon it the 
first grist-mill in Groton. This was one story and a half high, and 
it had one small run of stone which was used in grinding both wheat 
and corn. To show the scarcity of musical instruments and the es- 
timation of music among the people of tbat day, it is related that 
one of the customers of the mill would sometimes bring along his 
violin as well as his grist, and that in return for the entertainment 
afforded the miller and his customers, Ms grist went loll-free. Then, 
he built the first saw-mill, known to us as " the old saw-mill," and 
which has lately been torn down to " clear the track" for the South- 
ern Central R. R. Ho also erected the first framed dwelling iu the 



place wLere tlie Union Block now stands. Before 1804, Ezra Car- 
penter had married John Perrin's sister and moved upon tbe farn:s 
where Alfred Underwood now lives. Admatha Blodgett from Ho- 
mer bought the same farm three or four years after. Dr. Nathan 
Branch occupied a house near John Vantine's. Jonathan Bennett 
lived in a house near Roland White's. Peleg Hathaway lived on 
the farm now owned by Henry Allen. Abiatha Hathaway dwelt 
nearly opposite to Virgil Hatch's, and John Perrin had moved and 
built a house near Aaron Woodbury's residence. 

No doubt, a large number of interesting incidents could be col- 
lected, if one had the time to spare, which would give some idea of 
the trials and difficulties encountered by the early settlers, and 
which would also throw some light upon the manners and customs 
of that period. For instance, it is said that in April 1798, Ephraim 
Spaulding killed, where Henry Allen's barn now stands, the largest 
and fattest bear ever seen in this region. The summer after, a 
bear came and took a hog belonging to Spaulding, and having 
carried her across the Inlet on a log near where Ashley & .Co.'s 
steam saw-mill recently stood, killed and ate her. The}' were com- 
pelled to feed the six little motherless pigs with a spoon. The same 
year, Silas Stuart was attacked by a j^ack of wolves ; and in order 
to save his life, he was compelled to take refuge in the top of a 
tree, and remain there much of the night. Alarmecl by his absence, 
the neighl)ors with torches in hand, went in search of him. The 
wolves, being frig-htened by these, retreated leaving the frightened 
man in the hands of his friends. But we cannot take leave of Stu- 
art yet. He had bnilt a house on the East Hill, near where John 
Adams now resides. A bear visited his hog-pen one night to carry 
away bis hog, being one of the aforesaid '' spoon-fed-pigs." The 
night was ver}^ dark, and the bear determined in his purpose. Stu- 
art, remembering well his former experience when ''treed" by the 
wolves, was suddenly taken very sick, just at the time the tumult 
at the pen was the greatest. Under these trying circumstances, his 
wife became desperate, and, seizing some fire-brands, rushed out of 
the house, taking care to close the door so firmly behind her that 
the bear could not get in to hurt her poor, sick husband. Then by 
shouting and brandishing the fire-brands, she kiept the bear from the 
hog until assistance came from the valley. 

Jonathan Bennett was appointed the first Justice-of-the-Peace in 
1805 or 6, which office he held for many years. Once it is said 
after having ofliciated at a wedding, the bridegroom asked him what 
he would receive for his fees, as he had little monej^ Bennett wha 
was a kind, jovial man, replied that he was not particular, most any 



tiling would answer. Upon tliis, tLe young man gave him two very 
fine sap-bucketSj wliicli Bennett took, and, placing one under each 
arm, trudged along home on foot through the woods, whistling. 

In 1806, David Hicks, a half-brother of old Major Hicks j also, 
Wm. Hicks and his son James, came and settled here. In 1807 
or 8, Benjamin Williams and his brother William bought five acres 
of land for $51.56, and erected the second frame dwelling, in the 
village near the site of H. K, Clark's dwelling. Soon after, they 
began to use one part of this for a store. They purchased their 
goods, consisting mainly of calico, coarse broad-cloth, muslin, gro- 
ceries, nails, tobacco, etc., at Waterford, ten miles north of Albany, 
and had them transported the entire distance by two-horse teams, 
the drivers generally carrying their provisions with them and occu- 
pying some twelve days in the journey. They then sold the goods 
for ashes, manufactured these into potash, sent the potash to Water- 
ford by teams to pay for the goods, and bought more goods with 
which the teams were loaded on their return. They put up the first 
ashery in 1808 or 9, near 0. P. Atwood's. Prior to that, potash 
was made in the open air. They also carried on a distillery near 
the store. August 15, 1811, Wm. Williams, senior, purchased the 
grist-mill and forty acres of land for $1,225, tore down the mill, 
and erected a new one on the same site. 

The year 18:^7 was a very important one to this locality. The 
Legislature, on the 17th, of April, formed the new county of Tomp- 
kins, so named in honor of Gov. Tompkins, by taking from Seneca 
County, the towns of Hector and Ulysses, and from Cayuga County, 
Dryden and parts of the towns of 'Locke and Milton. At first, the part 
of Locke thus set ofi" was called Division ; but the nest year, it was 
changed to Groton, on the petition of the inhabitants of the town, 
some of w'hqm had moved from Groton, Mass., and some from Gro- 
ton, Ct., though a few desired the name of York. The town, 
therefore, lies in the N. E. corner of Tompkins Co., is ten miles long 
and five wide, containing fifty square miles, or 32,000 square acres. 
In the same month, the Annual Town Meeting was held at the log 
barn of Samuel Love, near A. Woodbury's. Hon. Samuel Critten- 
den was elected Supervisor, and Admatha Blodget, Town Clerk. 
The town being thus set off, business received a new impetus, im- 
provements were rapidly effected, and the number of inhabitants 
was rapidly increased by the arrival of new settlers. 

Robert C. Reynolds, born in Richmond, R. I. in^ 1792, came to 
Groton this j^ear. The village then contained, as he informs uie, 
seven framed buildings, viz : a house then occupied by Wm. Wil- 
liams, sen., and his son Benjamin, where the Union Block now 



stands ; a liouse near tlie resideuco of the late Orrin Clark, wliicli 
Reynolds purchased and in wliicli he opened a store j the old red 
house north of Edward Thomas', then occupied by S. Jenks Car- 
penter; a house where John Vantine's now is, occupied by James 
Austin as a tavern; Pliny Sikes' dwelling; a small house near 
Conant's where Dr. Daniel Mead lived ; and a school house near 
Wm. Perrigo's dwelling. There was about the same number of log 
houses. Soon after, Pliny Sikes built the houses now owned by 
C. W. Conger and D. V. Lindermau ; Ebenezer Williams returned 
as a permanent settler and erected a carriage shop and also a dwell- 
ing on Main street, known then as the Mansion House ; Azariah 
Dodge built a part of the present Groton Hotel, to which E. C. Rey- 
nolds made additions in '33, and Harrison Bowker in 1854-5. In 
1818. Wm. Williams, sen., erected the S. DeLano house, and Lu- 
ther Trumble, a fulling-mill down at "the Willows." At this mill 
a large amount of carding and cloth-dressing was done for several 
years, particularly by Dexter & Demmon, until finally the building 
burned down, James Gibbs with his family moved from Windsor, 
Ct., purchased an acre of ground, and built on it the Bresee house. 
The nest year, he built a shop back of the apple-tree in front of 
Wm. Perrigo & Co.'s machine shop, in which he carried on the 
saddle and harness business, it being the first, and for many years, 
the only shop of the kind in the town. Some twenty years ago, he 
became a Baptist Minister, and was pastor of several different church- 
es, Duther Trumble seems to have been quite a builder, for about 
this time, we find that he erected the dwelling now used by Levi 
Thomas as a grocery-store. In 1820, he built the store now owned 
by Adams Brothers, and also the house south of Goodyear's Hall. 
Leaving " the corners" in 1825, he built A. Woodbury's present 
dwelling for a tavern, and Mrs. James Gibbs' dwelling for a store, 
which was filled with goods by him and Major Eliphalet Clark, 
In the fall of 1824, Zimri Marsh came to this village and engaged 
in mercantile trade upon the ground now occupied by L. H. Marsh 
as a store. Born and married in Amherst, Mass., he removed to 
Schenectady, thence to Moravia, and afterwards to Groton City. In 
] 827, he purchased the store now owned by Adams Brothers, for 
$450. He owned the first gig in these parts, and it attracted much 
attention. In that gig, he was accustomed to travel to Albany, and 
thence on the river to New York for goods. He was esteemed a 
good business man, and a man of fine abilities ; and was for a time 
a member of our State Legislature. 

I have thus, my friends, presented all the facts concerning the 
early settlement of this vicinity, that Oie space allowed me will per- 

B 



10 

mit. I now proceed to give a brief account of tlie rise and progress 
of the public institutions and principal kinds of business in our 
midst. The first settlers were generally young men^ moral, indus- 
trious and public spirited. The}'' came expecting to be called up- 
on to endure the usual wants and privations of pioneers, and to la- 
bor unremittingly to introduce all the institutions usually found in 
civilized, christian lands. They had been reared under the sound 
of the gospel, and were ready to welcome "the preached word,'' 
here in their wilderness homes. Preachers from the surrounding 
settlements occasionally passed through this valley, and they were 
invited to stop, and to preach and conduct prayer-meetings at pri- 
vate houses. The first sermon I have heard mentioned, was at the 
first funeral, by a Presbj^terian minister, who happened here at the 
time. The first child born here, the little daughter of John Perrin, 
some two or three years old, was accidentally scalded to death. 
Her grave, the first in the old burying-ground, is now to be found 
on the top of the hill, extending north and south. It was dug by E. 
Spaulding. Dea. B. Williams remembers the first sermon he heard 
here was by Jabez Chadwick of Genoa. 

THE OLD EAST CnUKCG. 

The " East Cong. Church in Locke," was organized June 19th, 
1805. A log meeting-house was erected soon after, two miles east 
of Groton village. Rev. Joshua Lane was installed minister, as re- 
corded in neat and scholarly style with his own hand ; a (¥)py of 
which I here insert, as it is the only specimen of " ye olden style" 
I have discovered in the town : 

"Wednesday, July 12th, 1809, Joshua Lane of Stratham, State 
of New Hampshire, licensed by the Piscatacpia Association, was sol- 
emnly ordained to y*' work of the gospel ministry by y® Middle As- 
sociation, of which this church is a member, and installed to take 
the pastoral charge and oversight of this church and congregation 
as their first minister." 

In 1818 or '19, they raised a large framed meeting-house, which 
was dedicated in the winter of 1821. It was erected mainly by 
contributions of labw, grain, and neat cattle. This church became 
large and influential, the greatest number of communicants in any 
one year (1838) being 2^. After the Congregational Church was 
established, in the village, many withdrew and joined here. At 
length their large edifice was purchased by our enterprising towns- 
man," Dr. John Goodyear, and moved to the village in 1864, and 
converted into an excellent Town-Hall, stores, &c. 

In earlier days easy carriages were unknown here, and to show 
kijw the abler classes IVecpicntly went to "meeting," as it was called. 



\ 

11 

jt may not be improper to state that Deacon B, was often seen cm 
Lis way on horseback, with Lis wife riding behind and a couple of 
cLiLL'en before Lim, Also tLat J. C. took Lis wife beLind Lira on 
horseback, and leaving Ler at the Baptist church in the village, of 
which she was a member, he would gallop furiously up the hill to 
the " East Church," two miles distant, to attend his meeting, 

THE FIEST BAPTIST SOCIETY 

Was incorporated Feb. 10th, ISIS. They soon agreed to build a 
church edifice 32 by 40 feet with a porch, on the ground directly 
south of our district school house, imd let the job to Ebenezer Wil- 
liams for $450. To defray the expenses, they voted to sell the pews, 
" payments for the same to be made in three equal annual payments 
in saleable neat stock or graiu." For their minister, Benjamin An- 
drews, they hired a farm, whicli he, truly believing in the nobility 
of labor, continued very cheerfully to cultivate for years. In 1834 
they built an addition having on it a steeple. To this society is due 
the credit of purchasing the first church bell in the town. Early 
in 1843, they voted to build a new meeting-house, 45 by 60 feet, on 
land bought of Jeremiah Pratt. The same was completed Janua- 
ry 1st, 1844. 

THE METHODIST CHUKCH. 

Incorporated July 18, 1836, L. K. Redington minister, and Jus- 
tus P. Pennoyer official member. In January 1842, they resolved 
to build a meeting-house, entered at once upon the work like ear- 
nest men, and had it dedicated on the 20th of December following. 
In 1853 they voted "to sell the old parsonage and buy new of Geo, 
Watson." Thus it will be seen that at an early day, they had the 
enterprise and. judgment to provide "a home" for their minister; 
and they have not given him an opportunity on his first coming 
among them, as too many abler societies have, to say in the words 
of our Saviour: ''The foxes have holes, and the birds of the air 
have nests ; but the son of man hath not where to lay his head." 

CONGEEGATIONAL CHURCH. 

Incorporated March 12, 1849. They at once resolved to employ 
Eev. H. A. Sackett as minister, at a salary of $400, and to build a 
house of worship, 40 by 55 feet. This was dedicated January 29th, 
1851. This society has the credit of securing for use in public wor- 
ship the first church-organ in the village. This was accomplished 
znainly through the exertions and assistance of the Rev. Augustus 
Pomeroy, who for more than ten years served thero very accepta- 
'bly aL. pastor 



12 

SCHOOLS. 

As witli our Pilgrim Fathers, so was it with the first settlers of 
this region. Xo sooner had they secnred comfortable homes for 
themselves and their families, than they made arrangements for the 
public worship of God, and the education of their children. Each 
settler having contributed labor according to his ability, they erect- 
ed in 1805, a low log school-house, 30 by 25 feet, north-west of S. 
S. "Williams' dwelling. Abiatha Hathaway Avas the first teacher, 
and the next two winters, Benjamin Williams instructed the school. 
Miss Blodgett taught the intennediate summer. This house was 
accidentally burned down in the winter of 1813-14. It seems that 
by the direction of their teacher, Mr. Zenas Riggs, it was the turn 
of Elias and Eeuel Carpenter to build the fire on that morning. 
The weather was cold, and they, desirous l^f faithfully accomplish- 
ing their task, built such a fire on those stone andirons in that old 
stick chimney, " as the}' little thoiight." This was the great event 
of the season. They then built a little red framed school-house, 
south of F. Aveiy's j then a good sized two-story one, on the site 
of the present one, and this latter in 1858. The Groton High 
School was begun in 1835 — S. D. Carr, Principal. 

GEOTON LIBRARY, 

In 1834, the Groton Library was started, and by the introduction 
of a large number of excellent books, inaugurated a new era. Be- 
fore that, in the words of the Psalmist, " A man was famous accord- 
ing as he had lifted up axes upon the thick trees," but after that, he 
was also to be famous for knowledge and intelligence. It was giv- 
en up in 1839, after the esLablishment of the 

GROTON ACADEMY. 

Great was the undertaking, and many were the sacrifices which 
the stockholders made in founding the Academy, in the midst of 
the sparse population, possessing then so little accumulated wealth. 
But thej^ knew the worth of learning to their children and to the 
community at large, and to secure which, no sacrifices were deemed 
too great which were in their power to make. The necessary funds 
were raised, the building planned and contracted for, and an excel- 
lent site selected on yonder beautiful elevation, with ample grounds, 
and decorated with trees. Though centrally located, it is yet re- 
mote from the noise and the bustle of the village. In 1837, Prof. 
S. W. Clark, a recent graduate of Amherst College, was chosen 
Principal, and the school went into operation. The Academy was 
at once truly a success, and soon acquired an enviable reputation, 
'vvhich it has retained to the present time. Not the ^-outli of the 



immediate vicinity only, but also those of far distant sections, as- 
sembled here to partake of the bread of intellectual life, and to 
quei^ch their thirst in the pure waters of knowledge. Though it 
often failed to be self-sustaining, its stockholders labored unremit- 
tingly for its prospenty. It has had a mighty influence in elevat- 
ing, refining, and ennobling the character and moral feelings of the 
entire people in the vicinity, as well as contributing to their intelli- 
gence, mental vigor and acumen. These results are to be seen ev- 
erywhere around us ; in the offices of professional men, in the stores, 
banks, and other business places ; in our mechanical shops, and up- 
on many a well cultivated farm ; at home, at the lecture, and in the 
church. Its pupils are already scattered from Maine, (Eev. W. 
Stearns,) to California, (Miss D. S. Baldridge.) To realize hotv 
great its influence has been, one needs to visit the people of some 
secluded section, far away from institutions of learning and the ben- 
efits of a local newspaper press, and carefully note their habits, man- 
ners and customs. 

Prior to the erection of the Academy, public opinion was greatly 
divided as to where the main village in the town would eventually 
be. But, as soon as this institution began to pour out its blessings 
upon the community, that question was decided. Those seeking 
new locations at once gave this the preference. Many have been 
the families which have settled here, mainly, on this account. 

GROTON BALANCE AXD GROTON" DEMiOCRAT. 

On the 31st of January, 1839, H. P. Eels & Co. commenced the 
publication of a neutral weekly newspaper, entitled the Groton 
Balance, and issued thirty-nine numbers. This was a creditable 
sheet and did honor to its managers. It then passed into the hands 
of E. S. Keeney, an energetic young man then resident here, who 
completed the year. He then issued thirty-five numbers as a dem- 
ocratic paper, called the Groton Democrat. Through the kindness 
of 3Irs. Dr. Groodyear, a bound volume of this paper is befoi'e me, 
and its perusal has giveu much satisfaction. From it, I learn that 
on the Fourth of July, 1840, at a celebration then held, the Declar- 
ation was read by Dr. Moe; orator, F. DeLano; and a sermon in 
the afternoon by Rev. Dr. Bellamy. Also, that in August, 1839, 
the Ithaca Brass Band gave a concert at Groton. We have now, 
and have had for 3'ears, under the leadership of Oliver Avery, jr., a 
cornet band that could return the compliment. In its columns a 
young man was advertised for running away from his dear father, and 
whom we have learned has since been found in the great city of New 
York in most properous circumstances, I have only room to add a 



14 

choice literary extract of great connubial vigor, if not of tenderness, 
A wife saj-s : ''Ran away from my board, and took witli him my 
bed, my husband in the shape of a man. He is about five feet, 
eight or nine inches high, dark complexion, black eyes, and is quite 
a smart looking fellow ; can whistle, sing, dance, preach, pray, and 
whip his wife." 

CAEEIAGE SnOPS. 

Since 1820, there have been from two to four cai-riage shops 
constantly in the place, conducted by numerous individuals and 
firms. This branch of business has been very successfully and 
extensively pursued, and has added much to the wealth and prosper- 
ity of the place. In durability, neatness and taste, the carriages 
manufactured here have been quite celebrated. In proof of this, 
and of the extent of the business, we are assured that besides sup- 
plying the home calls, carriages, wagons and cutters in large 
quantities and for many years, have been sent from Groton to supply 
the wants of the people of Pennsylvania, Ohio, Michigan, Illinois, 
Indiana, Iowa, Missouri, Kentucky, Tennessee, Wisconsin, Cali- 
fornia and Oregon. One shop alone during the past year, ( S. S. 
Williams') has disposed of 824,000 worth of work. 

FUEXACE A^^D MACHIXE SHOP. 

In the fall of 1S49, Charles and Lyman Perrigo settled here and 
established this shop, with a capital of only about $2,000. By 
their thorough knowledge of the business, industrious habits, frank 
and honest dealings, and promptness in executing all work promis- 
ed at a given time, they have secured a very large circle of friends 
and an extensive patronage. Their work has found a ready sale 
at remunerative prices, not only about home and in our own State, 
InU also in California, in some of the Eastern States, and in nearly 
every one of the Western States. Though contributing liberally of 
their means in aid of every public enterprise, they have accumulated 
a handsome property, and added two excellent dwellings to the 
village. Latterly, Oliver Avery, jr., a fine mechanic, has been a 
member of the firm. Their actual sales for the last j^ear amount 
to $29,000. 

GKOTON SEPARATOR WORKS. 

These works now owned by Wm. Perrigo and Frederick Avery, 
were started some ten or twelve years ago, and have been very 
successful. In addition to the home supply, their work has found a 
.ready market in Ohio, Pennsylvania, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Minn- 



15 

esota, Wisconsin, California, Missouri and Maryland. Their salcB 
for the past year amount to $26,500. 

Thus it is readily seen that these carriage, furnace and machine^ 
and separator shops furnish employment for a laro^e number of 
laborers, thereby supporting- many families, and adding nearly, if 
not quite, 8100,000 annually to our circulating medium. 

GEOTOK VILLAGE, 

This was incorporated June 11th, 1860. The Trustees soon suc- 
ceeded in having good side-walks constructed upon all the princi- 
pal streets. Shortly after the destruction of Messrs. Williams & 
Finney's block by fire, the citizens voted the necessary funds for 
purchasing an excellent fire engine, and in December, 1864, the 
" Excelsior Fire Co." was organized, of which B. F. Fields was cho- 
sen Foreman. " The Pioneer Hose Co." was organized June Ist^ 
1865; C. S. Barney, President, and A. Glover, Foreman. 

During the past season a respectable engine house was erected, 
near the Baptist church. Notwithstanding these preparations, I am 
sorry to be compelled to record the destruction by fire, in 1866, of 
the old steam saw-mill owned by Ashley & Thayer, and also the 
new carriage shop of Brokaw & Powers, the latter of which has 
since been rebuilt by Powers & Pennoyer, and is doing a success- 
ful business. 

The Cheese Factory, erected in the spring of 1866, has been well 
patronized, but I have not the statistics before me. 

The Drydcn, Groton & Moravia Telegraph Co. was organized 
in April, 1865. Their lines run through this valley. The office 
here is now doing well. 

THE FIRST NATIONAL BANK. 

The Bank was organized and commenced business April 28th^ 
1865. Capital $100,000. The first directors were : Charles Per- 
rigo, Lyman Perrigo, Clinton Bowker, D. H, Marsh, John Green, 
S. Hopkins, S. C. Eeynolds, John G. Stevens, Arad S. Beach, C. 
P. Atwood, Henry Allen, John W. Halladay and Arteraus Backus. 
They organized by electing Charles Perrigo, President, S. Hopkins, 
Vice-President, and D. H. Marsh, Cashier. Notwithstanding all 
the " croaking" at home and alu'oad, the bank has been very suc- 
cessful. The whole capital has been constantly employed, and the 
ofiicers declare that if the capital were doubled, they could use it 
all profitably. 

GROTON JOURNAL. 

On the 9th of November, 1860, the first number of the Groton 
Journal appeared, under the mauageuieut of H. C. Marsh, editor 



16 

and proprietor. It at onco Lecamo popular, and has constantly 
been growing in the estimation of our citizens. Indeed, we now 
feel that we cannot do without it. It is truly among the very best 
newspapers published in this State. It has a respectable circula- 
tion already, and is worthy of a place in every family in this entire 
region. As the prosperity of our village and town is intimately con- 
nected with the success of the Groton Journal, we feel that the in- 
habitants are especially interested in patronizing it, and sustaining 
it to the extent of their ability. If we can take but one, let that 
be the home paper. 

SOUTHERN CENTRAL RAILROAD. 

Over thirty years ago, a railroad was projected to run from Auburn 
southerly through Moravia, Groton, &c., to Pugslcy's Station, inter- 
secting, at that point, the Ithaca & Owego Railroad. On surveying 
the route, it was found a feasible one, and plans were adopted for 
raising the funds. But the Ithaca & Owego Company having fail- 
ed, and the stockholders thereof having lost their entire stuck b}'' 
the sale of the road, the friends of this route became disheartened, 
and abandoned the undertaking. But this they did with regret, for 
there were those among them who had the ability and the foresight 
to see that in the process of time, the Avants of this section would 
call for the construction of just such a thoroughfare, and that here 
was one of the very best in the whole State. Among our citizens 
who then took an active part and expended their money for it, we 
may mention R. C. Reynolds, Dr. E. W. Grain, Franklin Willough- 
by, and Sylvauus Larned. In 1865, a plan was projected of unit- 
ing, by railroad, Lake Ontario at Fair Haven, with the coal fields 
of Pennsylvania, via Moravia, Groton, Dryden and Owego, with 
the expectation of a continuation thence by rail to New York, and 
also to Philadelphia, Baltimore and Washington. A number of our 
most public-spirited, far-sighted, and wealthy citizens, engaged .in 
promoting the enterprise. A company was formed and officers were 
chosen. The name finally adopted was ]:»roposed bv the ne\Aly 
elected President, the late C. C. Dennis, at a meeting in our vil- 
lage. The law required that at least one thousand dollars in stock 
should be subscribed for and taken, for every mile of the proposed 
road. Who that had the money to spare, would step forward and 
pledge the $5,000 required of our town, and actually pay in ten per 
cent of the same ? Five individuals and firms alone were found ; 
and that their names may be held in lasting remembrance, I here 
insert them : 

IIILAND K. CI.AKK, CIIAKLES I'EKKIGO, 

LYMAN IT.KKIGO, TIEKSON Ck AYEKY, 

Sept. 18, 1805. TEKKIGO. AYEKY & FIELD. 



17 

H. Iv. Clark was elected Director, who, in compauy with S. C. 
Reynolds, A. Woodbury, A. Backus and others, procured individu- 
il subscriptions to the stock of $50,000, and a subscription from the 
;own of an equal amount. The contract for the construction of the 
:oad has already been executed, and the work is progressing- rapid- 
y through our town and all along the route south of Auburn. When 
;he work shall finally be completed, there will be rejoicing in Gro- 
;on ! Nevermore then will merchants go to Now York in gigs to 
Durchase goods. 

GEOTON KURAL CEMETERY. 

Incorporated June 28th, 1858. Permit mo, in speaking of the 

Uemetery, to repeat in part, what I said of it in an Address last au- 
iimn. "Among the many modest, rural burying-places to be found 
n our laud, which evince cultivated taste, refinement, and abecorn- 
ng res})ect for the dead, is that of our own beautiful and retired 
/illage. Happily located here upon the sides and top of this mount, 
vith the pure waters of the quiet little stream laving its base, and 
he white pleasant edifices of our thriving village lying in the vale 
)eneath, it contains treasures dearer to our hearts than the golden 
lands of California. Well adapted by nature for this purpose, it 
las been rendered more so by art. These winding foot-paths and 
;arriage walks, these trees, both evergreen and deciduous so skill- 
ully planted by the hand of man here and there throughout the 
grounds, and those tall old forest-trees planted by the hand of God, 
vhich have escaped the ruthless woodman's ax, and still rear aloft 
heir foliage as a fine back-ground to the picture ; these flowers of 
nany forms and hues, both native and exotic, which breathe their 
>dors over many a grave ; these marble slabs, tablets, and monu- 
nents, whose beautiful forms meet the eye from every direction ; 
Lud its seclusion from the noise, bustle, and turmoil of the business 
Lud activities of life, render this a most desirable place for theinter- 
nent of the dead. If, for the next few years, as great improve- 
uents are made in these grounds as have already been made. The 
a^roton Rural Cemetery will bo among the finest in the land." 

To show most clearly' the healtlifulness of this locality, it may not 
)e improper to state that the records of the Cemetery show that of 
he twenty-five interments for the year ending January last, more 
han half had reached, or nearly so, three score years and ten ; 
md that one half of the remainder were infants but a few days or 
nonths old. 

Thus far I have spoken mainly of what has transpired Tipon lots 
Himber 75 and 76. I will now add wliat I have been able to as- 
c 



18 

certain of otliers. On the lOtli of May, IbOi, tlie whole uf h>t 7G 
■was deeded by Ily. Ten Brook, of New Yurk, to Ily. Codbury, of 
London, Great Britain, for $1,200 ; being less than two dollars per 
acre . 

Christopher Pipher with his wife Elizabeth, settled on lot 96 ia 
1802, where he built a log house. Elizabeth, who is present on 
this occasion, is more than 105 years old, having been born iii 
Springfield,. Pa., 23d of October, 1762, and is now much the oldest 
person in this pai't of the State.' Her health has always been good j 
her style of livings plain but uniform. Her drink has generally been 
water. &he still does the work for a family, and is in possession of 
all her faculties, except that her hearing is somewhat impaired. 
She remembers distinctly^ having heard Elder Starr preach in 1804^ 
at the house of Daniel Luther. Stai-r was the first regular Baptist 
minister who preached in that section, 

PERUVILLE, 

This village is situated on lot 95, Anwug-the early settlers were 
Asa Church who built the first grist-mill, H. I. Brinkerhotf, Thom- 
as Johnson, and Dr. Wright. ^'In 1820, it had been regularly 
surveyed for a village, by Levi Bodley, surveyor. The business of 
the place was one old lazy grist-mill^ two saw-mills, a cabinet shop, 
a blacksmith shop, a tannery, an ashery, a log tavern kept by Jer- 
emiah Elston, and of course a distillery. There were twelve pri- 
vate dwellings. Of public buildings, we had none, save a school- 
house in which religious meetings were ht^d occasionally. Henry 
I. Brinkerhoff was Justice-of-the-Peace, but lived just out of the 
corporation. Since that time, wc have built two churches, and tsva 
new school-houses." 

Sylvanus Earned of Pei'uville was the first Justice-of-the Peace 
elected by the people of tlie town, (1830,) after the Constitutional 
Convention gave the people that right. 

GROTON CITY. 

" One of the early settlements of the' old town of Locke, now 
GrotoUy was on lot 59^ which was bestowed upon Cai)tain Daniel 
Niven, for merited Revolutionary services. A portion of this was 
purchased and settled by Major Lemi Bradley, and another part by 
Jesse Bartholomew. Aaron and John Benedict also purchased land 
and built a grist-mill and a saw-mill. Wm. S. Clark, Esq., bought 
a water privilege and built a dam and machinery for clothing- works ;. 
and Gen. .Wm. Cobb had the first carding machine I ever saw. 
About the year 1813, Zachous Maltby set up a tavern on lot G9. A 



free meeting--honse was erected by subscription, and a Masoiiic lial^ 
Avas built, in which Science Lodge met regularly for some Ax-ars." 
•John Shaw located on lot 49 in 1806, and some of the famih^ have 
occu[)ied the sjjot ever since. The only store Bver built in the place 
M-as erected in 1809, bv Crosb}' & Tanner. It was next occupied 
by Amos B. Fuller, of whom it was purchased in 1812 or 1813, by 
Daniel J. Shaw, a son of John Shaw. " For more than thirty 
years, we have had thrifty fjirmcrs and mechanics of most kinds, saw 
■and grist-mills, and most of the time a store and post-office, but nev- 
er a tavern." 

Into this part of the town, and on lot 69, came Daniel Maltby in 
the spring of 1806. He was then a young man of fine prospects, 
and was preparing for the practice of medicine. He was a man of 
great peculiarities. He lived to the advanced age of eighty, having 
passed most of his life as a real, genuine Hermit, one of the few ev- 
er found in any Protestant country. 

MC LEAX VILLAGE. 

Mrs. Elisha Bangs, eighty-two years of age, says that her hus- 
band and herself came from Mass., and settled on lot number 100 
in 1813. At that time, there lived on said lot, Nicholas Rowe, An- 
son Hanchett, (who came before 1806,) L. Cummings, J.Davis, Mr, 
Pettis and Ezra Bangs. She thinks that Amasa Cobb was one of 
the first settlers, and probably built the first log- house on the site 
•uf the present hotel. Elijah West lived near. Wm. Harris lived 
in the first framed house. The first minister who preached in the 
village was a Baptist, Rev. Benj. Whipple, in the fall of 1805. 

Mr, David Whipple settled near McLean in 1806. A Mr. Sher- 
wood lived just over the line in Dry den, and is probably one of the 
first who began the settlement of McLean village. John Benedict 
was an early settler, and built the first grist-mill. Amasa Cobb 
built the first public house. Wm. and Roswell Randall built and 
opened the first store upon the present site of D. B. Marsh & Co.'s. 
The present grist-mill was built in 1837, by John Neal. The Bap- 
tist church was erected in 1827; the Methodist, in 1832 j the Uui- 
versalist, in 1842; and the Episcopal, in 1849, and dedicated the 
same year by Bishop De Lancey. The first Episcopal minister was 
Rev. Wm. A. Clark. Two distilleries Averc running in 1828. 
There is here, one of the largest and most successful cheese fac- 
tories in the State, which was finished and put in operation in the 
spring of 1864, where there has already been manufactured 1,716,- 
202 pounds of cheese. The first name of the village was Moscow, 
Upon the establishment of the post-office, the name was changed 



20 

to McLean by Judge McLean, then Post Master-General. Samnel 
Xoice H'as the first post-master. 

-^-EST GEOTON. 

It is situated mainly on lot 51, which was 8old in 1795, by An- 
thony Smith inn-keeper, to Geo. Smith, attorney, both of New York 
city, for two hundred pounds current money of New York. It has 
two churches, a school-house, a saw-mill (near by), a few shops, 
and a number of pleasant dwellings. Hon. Wm. R. Fitch, long an 
attorney in that vicinity, and at different times, a member of the 
Legislature from this county, settled there in 1817, and was well 
acquainted with very many of the early settlers. Among these he 
names, on lot 51, Job Ailing, who became Justice-of-thc-Peace in 
1819-20. He oAvned some 250 acres of land, on which ho had al- 
ready built a two-story framed house, and a saw-mill on Hemlock 
Creek. Isaac Allen, father of the present post-master, lived on the 
north-east corner of lot 51, and in 1817 or '18, built the west part 
of what is known as the Tavern house. Old Mr. Sellen kept tav- 
ern half a mile north of West Groton. Old Mr. Henshaw and Jo- 
seph Henshaw lived near where John Sellen now lives. Henry 
Carter and old Mr. Travis were early settlers. In 1817, Deacon 
John Scaton lived where M. D. Fitch now resides. The saw-mill 
there was erected in 1848. Nathan Fish carried on the cloth-dress- 
ing business formerly on Hemlock Creek, near the Locke line, and 
was remarkable for coloring an excellent red. He also had a small 
grist-mill. Both establishments were carried away at a very early 
day b}^ a great freshet, well remembered yet at Groton village. 

Samuel Hogg settled quite early near the south-east corner of 
lot 61, where he kept a tavern. He sold to Henry Howser, and his 
heirs now hold it. Ichabod Brown settled on the place where Eb- 
enezer Hatch now lives. Capt. John Guthrie settled very early on 
lot 71. His daughter (Mrs. Cobb) now resides at West Groton. 

Lot 52, h'ing on the east, was deeded by the State of New York 
to Geo. Nesbitt, July 9, 1790; and, afterwards, on Jan. 24, 1795, 
to A. Alexander, of Schenectady, for fifteen pounds current money 
of New York. How little, many of those Revolutionary heroes 
realized for their " soldiers claims !" 

THE FIRST — THE OLDEST. 

Deacon Benjamin Williams now more than eightj'-i'our years of 
age is the oldest person in tliis village, doing business here in 1810; 
also the first post-master. Rcucl B. Carpenter, S. S. AVilliams and 
Wm. Morton, are the oldest persons who were born here. John 



21 

Perrin was the first inn-keeper, distiller, merchant and brick-maker. 
For many years after the first settlement, bricks of very excellent 
quality were made on the very spot now occupied by Snyder & 
Lobdell's brick-3'ard. El^nezer Williams was the first surveyor, 
and wag-on-maker ; Andrew and David Allen, the first blacksmiths ; 
Jonas Williams, the first shoemaker ; John Winslow the first pot- 
ter, just north of the cheese factory ; the first settled Baptist minis- 
ter, Elder Whipple, father of David Whipple ; first marriage, Jonas 
Williams, jr., to Miss Hathaway, in 1805 or 65 Samuel Love, the 
first tanner, in 1811; Dr. Nathan Branch, the first physician and 
surgeon, and Dr. Obed Andrews, the first druggist; 0. 0. Godley, 
the first hardware store, and Oliver Avery, the first cabinet maker. 
Joseph Parker had the first cabinet-shop. The first mail was 
brought from Homer about 1812, in a bag, by a boy on horseback ; 
next Mr. Loomis brought it in a portmanteau. Henry Clark claims 
that he drove the first two-horse stage-team from Groton to Cortland. 
Henry Grain has one of the oldest apple-trees in the village, and 
the most valuable, owing to the superior cultivation bestowed upon 
it. Warren Jones built the first sash factory, in 1849 ; L. J. Covert 
opened the fii'st cigar factor3^ Esquire Blake was the first lawyer, 
came in 1819, died soon after, and was buried on the north side of 
the old burying-ground, near the fence. The earth has since crumb- 
led away and exposed his remains. Perhaps his sad fate has been 
the reason why so few lawyers have settled among us. As an Act 
has just passed the Legislature, (our lawyer drew it up,) for the re- 
moval of those buried in the old ground, perhaps his remains may 
yet find a quiet resting place. 

rOLITICS. 

The town was generally Democratic until 1 849. In '26, a Fed- 
eral was elected supervisor; an Anti-Mason in 1831-2-3 and 4; and 
a Whig in '39. In 1849 and the four succeeding years. Free- Soil 
Whigs or Democrats were chosen; since which time the town has 
been strongly Republican. 

TEMPERANCE. 

Not- less than seven distilleries have been erected within the 
limits of the town, the first one dating back to the beginning of 
the present century, three of them having been in Groton village. 
Nearly all of the ardent spirits produced by them, was used atJiome. 
The use of alcohol in some form was almost universal among the 
early settlers, upon all occasions. Yet the great temperance move- 
ment reached us here (piite as soon as in other rural districts. It 



22 

IS said that David Wriglit, now living in Dryden, but then, in Peru- 
villc, t'orty^two years ago, went to Ludlowville and invited Hon. 
Benjamin Joy to lecture in Peruville, and that but seven women, thir- 
teen girls and Wright himself were presint, he acting as chairman. 
This was the first temperance meeting. The reform progressed 
finely, and at a special town meeting in 1844, " 374 voted ' no li- 
cense,' 76 ' license,' and one scattering." Wm. Woodbury was 
afterward elected supervisor, upon that question. The first build- 
ing raised in the town without " whiskey" was by Levi Wright. 
When we hear the remark that as much liquor is drank now as 
formerly, let us remember the seven distilleries for home consump- 
tion, and the three lodges with their hundreds of Good Templars, 
now located in the vevy places where once stood the distilleries." 

PATRIOTISM. 

Of the military record, in this " Military District," bestowed upon 
the heroes of the American Revolution for well merited services, we 
have little of which to be ashamed, but much of which we may well 
be proud. Patriotism has ever been one of the characteristics of our 
people. The leading men among the early settlers having been 
born and nurtured in New England, taught their descendants to re- 
vere the memory of the Pilgrim Fathers, and to deem the soil of 
Plymouth rock sacred dust. They taught them to regard the Union 
of these States as the palladium of their liberties, and the Constitu- 
tion of the United States as a lasting bond and pledge of that Union. 
They held that all human laws should be l)ased upon the higher 
laws of Heaven, and that resistance to tyrants violating those high- 
er laws, is obedience to God. Therefore, with this for their motto, 
" God and our Country," whenever our national rights and interests 
have been assailed at home or from abroad, they have been ready 
to defend the right and to rebuke the wrong. Thus when the op- 
pressions of proud old England could be borne no longer, when her 
violations of national rights had transcended all endurance, when 
no American ship could traverse the ocean unmolested, our country 
rose in her might, resolved no longer to submit to the foul degrada- 
tion. Then, poor as were our people, and sparse as was our popula- 
tion, the voice of our dear native country passed not unheeded. 
When in December 1813, the British and Indians had surprised 
and gained possession of old Fort Niagara, and had reduced to ash- 
es the villages of Youngstown, Lewiston, Manchester, and the Indi- 
an Tuscarora village. Black Rock, and Buffalo, the militia of this 
part of the State was ordered to ''the defence of the lines." That 
call was heeded here in the then wilderness of Groton. Leaving 



23 

the rail-cut half split, the saw-log on the ox-sled, and the ax stick- 
ing in the stump of the falling tree, onward they marched under the 
command of Captain John Smith and Lieut. David Morton " to the 
lines," and there they satyed guarding the boundaries of our country 
until the higher authorities said " it is enough." 

Also, when our country was unhappily dragged into war with our 
sister Republic, Mexico, Groton was not wholly unrepresented. Our 
town may have had many there, but only one* is known to me. A 
sailor who had circumnavigated this mighty globe of ours, and had 
seven times doubled Cape Horn, happened, in May 1847, to be at 
Louisville, and yielding to impulses of patriotism, enlisted in the 
Third Kentucky Regiment then forming. On they moved to Vera 
Cruz, where Cortez had debarked 300 years before, and where but 
a few days previously the great chief, Winfield Scott, had landed. 
Then following on after Scott, he reached the city of Mexico, the 
ancient capital of the Montezumas, whose almost impregnable ram- 
parts, Santa Anna, the Mexican chief, had in vain striven to defend 
against American valor. Yet he did not arrive in time to partici- 
pate in the glory of its capture, but was obliged to stay and guard 
the city for many a month. 

Again, when the clouds of Rebelhon had darkened all our fair 
iand ; when the lightnings of Treason were about to hurl down and 
destroy the fair Goddess of Liberty ; when the waves of Secession 
were about to overwhelm and engulf in ruin, all our moral, social, 
and political institutions, the voice of our great chief was heard, 
calling for aid to save the life of the nation. Groton nobly respond- 
ed to this earnest call. In this our country's hour of need, bravely, 
cheerfully, did many a hero enter the national army to fight the na- 
tion's battles, and thereby, if possible, save the nation's liberties j 
and for this, courageously, heroically, did many a bravo pour out 
his life's blood, or fall by dread disease. All honor to Major Wil- 
loughby, and Captains Crittenden, Hatch, Mount, Clark, Bristol, 
and Tarbell, and all those three hundred and seventy-eight whom 
they led to battle from the town of Groton, who faltered not in the 
hour of trial ; and ever green be the turf oA'cr the graves of those 
who fell at the post of duty. 



I have thus, my friends, introduced you into this section, while it 
was yet a howling wilderness ; when the bear, the wolf and the fox 
roamed here unscared by man ; when the grand old forest-trees, 
which for centuries had shaded these hills and these valleys, and 

*Henry Crain. 



24 

had witlistood the storm and tlie tempest for many an age, were yet 
waving; wdien this little stream, the Owasco Inlet, rolled on its 
bright waters towards the beautiful Owasco without molestation or 
hindrance from dam or bridge, singing its sweet song to lofty ant- 
lered deer, cropping the verdure on its banks at dewy eve, or sla- 
king theu' thirst when the sun was hio-h in the heavens. We lis- 
tened to the approach of those fu'st immigrants ; we beheld them 
as with toil and difficulty they urged their slow way onward over 
the hills and through the valleys, threading the pathless forest, ford- 
ing the streams and wading the marshes. We heard the sweet mu- 
sic of their voices with delight, for it told us of the dawn of that 
civilization about to be ushered in. We saw those hopeful persons 
in the bright morn of manhood, with the glow of joy and health 
upon their countenances, forgetting their poverty and tlicir remote- 
ness from aid or sympathy, and, away from all the cheering influ»- 
ences of civilized life, construct their little rude dwelling in the 
gloomy wdlderness. We gazed admiringly u\)bn that solitary cou- 
ple, as they passed the first winter, toiling hard to fell the dreary 
forest, which stood between them and civilization with all its bles- 
sings. Year by year w'e saw them reinforced by the arrival of 
friends and relatives, and noticed that their hearts beat high with 
joy at every new accession to their numbers. We noticed with 
what courage and manliness they all battled with their trials and 
difficulties and dangers -, how cheerfull}' and uncomplainingly they 
put up with coarse fare and rude attire. We beheld their assiduity 
and their sacrifices while providing for religious culture and the in- 
tellectual training of their children. They and their successors 
cleared these fields; made these roads; built these bridges; erected 
these dwellings; reared these shops, offices, mills, and manufacto- 
ries; founded these schools; dedicated these churches ; and estab- 
lished all these institutions which add so much to our means of im- 
provement, and contribute so greatly to our happiness. We now 
behold ourselves in the midst of " a goodly town." The houses 
built " in the year one," have decayed. Rude huts and log-cabins, 
stick chimneys and brick ovens have long since disappeared. Log 
heaps and brush heaps are now things of the past. Ox-teams are 
rarely seen in these streets. No longer are ladies, wishing to do a 
little shopping, obliged to ride on horse-back to Ludlowville or Ho- 
mer, with a pail of butter or a basket of eggs, to be exchanged for 
desired articles. We now make no subscriptions for public im- 
provements, payable in grain or neat stock. Uncle Sam now sends 
no Diails to us by a boy on horse-back, in a bag under his arm. 
Fiddle we ever so scientifically, our grist docs not go " toll free." 



25 

Wear we beards ever so long, bands of rude men assail us not, nor 
by force cut off those beautiful ornaments from our faces, while pin- 
ioned upon bar-room floors. School-masters, skilled in " the three 
R's, reading 'riting and 'rithmetic," but more^ skilled in wielding 
the " birch," no longer " tan" little boys and girls at '' eight dollars 
per month and board around," Our preachers no more spend all 
the week days in labor upon the farm, and then minister unto the 
people on the Sabbath day, for the merest pittance that will hold 
soul and body together. We do not now ride to church on horse- 
back with our lady behind us, and two or three young " hopefuls" 
before us. We sing in church without the dominie's lining for us 
the hymn. Flax and woolen wheels, reels, swifts, distatFs and 
looms, have vanished into thin air. When our neighbor knocks at 
the door, we do not shout at the top of our voice, ^' Come in." 
Yes, these things and many others are of the past, and let '' the 
dead past bury its dead." Let us with all our powers, faithfully 
discharge every duty which the Present so earnestly is beseeching 
us to fulfil, yet all the while with eyes intent upon the mighty Fu- 
ture now rushing down upon us. That future has in store for us 
things of which we now little dream. Let us then summon up all 
our courage, and all our energies, and bravely do battle for the 
^'All Hail Hereafter." 



EnRATAS. — On page 21, in stating that Joseph Parker had the first cabinet 
shop. Oliver Avery had the first, and sold to Joseph Parker. 

Page 18 — In the last paragraph of Peruville, it should read : Sylvanus Lar- 
ned was one of the fii-st Justices of the Peace elected by the people of the 
town in 1827. 

Page 20 — In second paiagraph of West Groton, the name Ebenezer Hatch 
should read Eleazor Hatch. 



26 



Tabic of SuPEEvisoEs, To^yN Clerks and Justices of the 
1*EACE, of the ToKH of Groton. 

When 
Elected. Supervisors. Town Clerks. 

1817 — Samuel Crittenden, Admatha Blodgett, 
1818— do. do. 

do. 
do. 
do. 
David Gould, 

do. 

Wm. Woodbury, 

do. 

do. 

Zimri Marsh, 



1819— Isaac Allen, 

1820— ■ do. 

1821 — Jonathan Bennett, 

1822— do. 

1823— do. 
1824 — Nathan Benson, 
1825— do. 
1826— Job Ailing, 
1827— do. 



1828— WilliamWoodbury, 

1829— do. 

1830— do. 
1831— Xury Blodgett, 

1832 — do. 

1833— John Boynton, 

1834— do. 

1835 — Sylvanus Larned, 

1836— do. 

1837— WilliamWoodbury, 
1838— do. 

1839 — Joseph Penncyer, 
1840— Sylvester Nash, 
1841— do. 

1842 — John Young, 

1843— do. 

1844— do. 
1845 — Cicero Phelps, 
1846— do. 



Justices of the Peace. 



Justices of the Peace — four iu 
number — Avere iirst electeii iu 
Nov., 1827, and classified, to 
hold one, two, three and tour 
years : 



1847— Ethan Mix, 

1848— do. 

1849— WilliamWoodbury, 

1850— do. 

1851 — Justus P. Pennoyer, 

1852_William Woodbury, 

1853 — Justus P. Pennoyer, 

1854 — Clark Chapman, 

1855— do. 

1856— do. 

1857 — E. Jason Watrous, 

1858— do. 

1859— William D. Mount, 

1860— do. 

1861— do. 

1862— do. 
1863— Mortimer D. Fitch, 

1864— do. 

1865— do. 
1866— Daniel B. Marsli, 
1867— Walter W. While, 

1868— do. 



do. 
Benj. Williams, 

do. 
Jacob Wood, 

do. 

Joseph Pennoyer, 

do. 

Augustus C. Marsh, 

do. 

do. 

do. 
Fr. Willoughby, 
Aug. C. Marsh, 
Phin'sM. Blodgett, 
David A. Morton, 

do. 
Rob't C. Eeynolds, 

do. 

do. 

do. 

do. 
do. 



Cicoro Phelps 4 years, 

Sylvanus Larned .3 years, 
Benj. Williams, .,2 years, 

l^Alvali Jarvis 1 year. 

Alvah Jarvis, {Not recorded.) 

Benjamin Williams, " 

Sylvanus Lamed, 

John Guthrie, 
Alpheus West, 
Sam'l H. Hopkins, vacancy, 
Xury Blodgett, 

^ Samuel H. Hopkins, 

Sylvanus Larned, 

Cicero Phelps, 

< Alpheus West, 

( Augustus C. Marsh, vacancy, 

Augustus C. Marsh, 

Sylvanus Larned, 

Thomas F. Sherman, 

Harv^ey Holden, 

Augustus C. Marsh, 

Sylvanus Larned, 

Cicero Phelps, 

AlpheHs West, 

Samuel D. Carr, vac. & full t'm, 

Reubeia Darling, 

Cicero Phelps, full term, 
Sylvanus Larned, vac. 3 yrs, 
Eben. S. Marsh, vac. 2 years, 

lAlpheus West, 

Ebenezer S. Marsh, 
David Beeman, jr., Daniel W. Woodbury, 
Eben. S. Marsh, Simeon G. Conger, 
Rufus M. Bullock, Alpheus West, 
Hiland K. Clark, William Woodbury, 
{ William D. Mount, 
^ Franklin Willoughby, vac'y, 

Simeon G. Conger, 

John T. Davidson, 

Franklin Willoughby, 

William D. Mount, 

Nelson Stevens, 

Alpheus West, 

Franklin Willoughby, 
^ Aaron H. Vongh, vacancy, 

William D. Mount, 

Nelson Stevens, 

Wm. H. Spaulding, vac.A f. t'm, 

Franklin Willoughby, 

William D. Mount, 
Nelson Halladay, .S. Hopkius, app. 
<k Albert Wilcox, vac. &, f. term, 
I Sidney Hopkins, vacancy. 



do. 

David A. Morton, 

do. 

do. 

do. 

Albert Omond, 
^ do. .and ) 

i D. A. Morton, app. > 

David A. Morton, 

do. 
do. 
do. 
do. 
do. 
Sam'l C.Reynolds, 

Hiram C. Marsh. 



27 



CHURCH STATISTICS. 



Baptist Church. — The " First Baptist Church of Locke," was 
organized August 27, 1806, by a council of members from the First 
and Second Churches of Mihon, First Church of Dryden, and the 
First Church of Homer. After the organization of the town of 
Groton, the name was changed to the " First Baptist Society of 
Groton," as stated on page 11. The following persons were mem- 
bers at the time of the organization in 1806 : 

Ezra Liither, Benj. Thomas, Mary Benedict, Lydia Whipple, 

Lemuel Perrin, Auson Haiichett, Hannah Pipher, Prud'ce Carpenter, 
David Morton, John Perkins, Olive Hinman, Elenor Williams, 

David Morton, jr., James Smith, Christina Fisk, Eley Thomas, 

John Lee, James Luther, Hannah Lather, Hannah Hathaway, 

Andrew Leonard, Ebenezcr Thomas, Nancy Luther, Mai-y Kenedy, 
Alfred Carder, Smith Covit, Beulah Luther, Rebecca Pierce, 

Alanson Thomas, Jonas Williams, Aseneth Thomas, Phebe Pierce, 
William Fisk, Jenks Carpenter, Abigal Burrows, Rebecca Morton, 

Oliver Luther, Daniel Pierce, Deborah Morton, Mary Morton, 

Benj. Luther, Elijah More, Ann Leonard, Deborah Morton, 

Asa Luther, Joel Whipple, Orpha Luther, Sarah Thomas, 

Nathaniel Luther, Rebecca Luther, Jerasha Perkins, Jane Stewart, 
Daniel Luther, Sarah Whipple, Mercy Hathaway, Patty Perrin, 
Euocli Benedict, Wate Lnther, Rhoda Carpenter, Ruth Carpenter, 

David Whipple, Amelia Perrin, Mary Williams, Jane Bevina, 
Benj. Whipple, Sarah Leo, Jane More, Lucy Vanarsdale. 

The first baptisms recorded, were in 1806 ] they were Enoch Ben- 
edict, Benj. Luther, Mary Benedict, Nancy Luther, Olive Luther, 
Alfred Carder and Asa Luther. The first deacons chosen, Oct. 11, 
1806, were Benj. Thomas and James Smith. Elder Starr served 
the Church as minister, to Oct., 1806. The following is a list of 
ministers of the Church since that time : 

Thomas Tuttle, October 11, 1806. 

Benjamin Whipple, August 26, 1807, to June 13, 1812. 

Joseph Purington, March 10, 1813, to December 23, 1813. 

Benjamin Luther, February 1815, to January 5, 1817. 

Benjamin Andrews, April 2, 1818 to December 29, 1828. 

Peleg Card, December 26, 1829, to March 5, 1830. 

Henry Vogell, June 11, 1831, to February 9, 1833. 

J. S. Backus, May 1833, to January 1, 1839. 

Rufus K. Ballermy, April, 1839. to February 6, 1841. 

Alonzo P. Mason, April 24, 1841. 

Lewis Ranstead, 1842 to 1845. 

Austin R. Belden, 1845 to 1847. 

William B. Downer, September 12. 1847, to March, 1849. 

D. B. Purington, March, 1849, to August. 1851. 

Walter G. Dye, December, 1851, to October, 1857. 

Luman C. Bates, February, 1858, to April, 1861. 

Thomas Allen, July, 1861, to April, 1864. 

L. W. Ohiey, Julv, 1864, to October, 1865. 

J. P. Bates,' July, 1866, to April, 1868. 

The above statistics were furnished by Mrs. Dr. J. Goodyear. 

East Congkegational Church. — The first members were: 
*' Squire Stone, Nathan Bennett, James Austin, Josiah Willough- 
by, Nathan Branch, Ezra Carpenter, males ; and Rebecca Stone, 

Priscilla Bennett, Austin, Lucy Carpenter, and Boxy Loomis, 

females." Squire Stone was chosen Deacon, and first standing 



28 

Moderator, and Josiah Willoughby, Clerk, Daring the first year. 
iLois Mix, Mrs. Rutla Bradley, Mrs. Jeruslia Bartholomew, Oliver 
Hatch and wife, and Isaac Hopkins, were admitted meaibers. 

Rev. Joshua Lane was installed the first minister, July 12, 1809 ; 
and Rev. Joshua Dean, of Taunton, Mass., the second minister, 
Nov. 30, 1814. He died July 11, 1824, aged 36 years, having 
served 9 years, 7 months and 11 days. The funeral sermon was 
preached bv Rev. Seth Smith, of Genoa. Rev. Marcus Han-ison 
was installed minister, July 9, 1828. Rev. Edward A. Beach was 
installed April 8, 1835, and dismissed Nov. 21, 1839. Rev. Ezra 
Scovil was installed July 6, 1841, by seven Bishops, who met for 
that purpose. They signed a call to Rev. Corbin Kidder, Jime 6, 
1850. He resigned Feb. 27, 1853. 

Total in communion, Dec. 1838, was 295 ; 1839, 290; 1840, 
275 J 1841, 263; 1842, 250; and in 1843, 229. 

Methodist Chuech. — The first Tnastees were : Justus P. Pen- 
noyer, Joseph Pennoyer, Josiah P. Ingraham, Augustus C. Marsh, 
Hiram Young, Daniel Tarbell, and Simon Loomis. When it was 
re-organized, Jan. 5, 1842, Elder Isaac Parks was chairman, and 
A. C. Marsh, secretary. The Trustees then elected were : J. P. 
Pennoyer, J. P. Ingraham, J. Pennoyer, John P. Andrews, Levi 
Wright, Benjamin Ellis, and A. C. Marsh. Their ministers were: 

1846— Eevs. W. N. Cobb and J.Worth- 185.5 and '56— Rev. O. L. Torrv, 

ing, 1857 — Rev. A. lirown. 

1847— Revs' W. N. Cobb and A. S. 1858 and '59— Rev. W. N. Burr, 

Graves. 1860 and '61— " R. C. Fox, 

1848— Revs. A.Wood and A. S.Graves, 1862— Rev. T. D. Wire, 
1849 and '50— Revs. A. Wood and S. 1863— " D. C. Dutcher, 

H. Brown, 1864— " D. C. Dutcher and C. M. 

1851— Rev. W. W. White, Sessions, 

1852— Revs. W. W. White and L. G. 186.5— Rev. C. M. Sessions, 

Weaver, 1866, '67 and '68— Rev. Wm. E. York. 

1853 and '54— Rev. W. N. Pearne, 

Congregational Church of Groton Village. — The first 
members were : R. H. Osborn, Charlotte E. Osborn, Sylvenus De- 
Lano, Jane C DeLano, Betsey M. Pratt, Sarah B. Jefl'ers, Stephen 
H. Shaw, Elenora Shaw, Mary Thomas, Louisa Reynolds, Adma- 
tha Blodgett. Mrs. A. Blodgett, Sarah J. Allen, Dianthe E. Sack- 
ett, Lucy A. Jewell, Claudius B. Jewell, Amelia Osborn, Esther P. 
Goodyear, and Mary Wilson. 

Stephen F. Barrows and R. H. Osborn were chosen deacons, and 
S. DeLano, clerk. The first trustees were : S. DeLano, C. B. Jew- 
ell, S. H. Shaw, William Allen, C. 0. Godley, and Orlando Childs. 

Rev. H. A. Sackett was first minister — salary 400. Voted Jan. 
28, 1850, to build a house of worship, and tliat William Allen, J. 
J. Reynolds, R. C. Reynolds, and Lyman Allen be a building-com- 
mittee. In 1851-2, Rev. R. H. Close was minister awhile. Rev. 
Augustus Pomeroy accepted a call June 27, 1853, and he resigned 
March 26, 1864. Rev. S. Y. Lum accepted a call, Sept. 6, 1864, 
and he resigned July 1, 1867. Rev. J. 0. Taylor accepted a call 
'SQpt., 11867. 



29 
MILITARY BBCOMD. 



Compiled by DAVID A. MORTON, from Records in 
the Town Cleric's Office. 



The number of soldiers furnished by the town of Groton, in the 
War of the Rebellion, covering a period from the 15th day ot April, 
1861, to the 10th day of Nov., 1865, and credited to the town, was 
385 ; and the number of seamen was one. 

List of Commissioned Officers, and their RanTc at time of Discharge. 
Westel Willoughby, Major. 

CAPTAIKS. LIEUTENANTS. 

Gilman D. Crittenden, Elias R. Weaver, 

James C. Hatch, J\Iosea Marsh, 

Wm. E. Mount, Carlos Baldwin, 

George Bristol, Lucius Davis, 

Doctor Tarbell, Henry G. Hallet, 

Martin C. Clark. Eugene A. Marsh. 
Henry Laning, Assistant Surgeon, with rank of 1st Lieutenant. 

List of Killed in Battle. 
Hannibal Howell, Peter Monfort, Andrew H. Gale, 

George W. Thompson, Jerome Woodbury, Henry G. Hallet, 
William A. Wood, Warren L. Davison, L. Dwight Allen, 
Michael Morris. 

Died of Wounds Received in Battle. 
Henry A. Snow, Walter Starkej'^, Isaac H. Leonard, 

Charles Howard, Daniel C. Brown, William N. Guthrie. 

Tappan Howell, Edward Moe, 

Died of Disease Contracted in the Service. 
Moses Marsh, John A. White, Fred'k Tiffany, 

Henry Knettles, William J. Howard, George B. Huson, 

Hallet Main, Jay B. Owen, Andrew J. Bisbey, 

Benjamin Austin, Jerome W. Hall, Marseua Telyea, 
John Daball, Jonathan Holcomb, Nelson Hanchet, 

Charles B. Harvey, T. D. Smith, George U. Stout, 

Daniel McGregor,' Ira Carpenter, ' Willet McKinney, 

Laverne E. Teeter, Daniel Learn, Charles L. Brown. 

Allen Clement, 

Alson Cobb was taken prisoner during the Battle of Spottsyl- 
vania C. H. — died (probably of starvation) in Florence Prison, S. 
C, Oct. 5, 1864. 

Thomas Ashton died prisoner of war ; time and place not known. 

Stiles Peck died prisoner of war, in Andersonville Prison; time 
of death not known. 

Fred. Farnham died Jan. §7, 1855, pris. war, in Salisbury Prison, 

The whole number of Commissioned Officers was 14. 
The whole number killed in battle, and died of wounds and dis- 
ease, was 47, or about 12 per ceni. of all who entered the service. 
Amount of bounty paid by the town and county was S102,850.. 



30 
Groton Acadeiny—IAst of Principals, 

Where Graduated. Time. 

1837, Stephen W. Clark, A. B.,. . .Amberst College,. . .4 years. 

1841, Samuel D. Can*, A. B., Union College, 1 year. 

1842, Carleton Parker, 2 years. 

1844, Samuel D. Carr, A. M., Union College, 3 years. 

****** 

1848, James E. Dexter, Normal School, Alb. 

1849, Mrs. D. E. Sackett, 

1851, Rev. R. H. Close, A. B., Yale College. 

1852, Samuel G. Williams, A. B., .Hamilton College, ..4 years. 

1856, R. 0. Graves, A. B., Middlebury College, 1 year. 

1857, Samuel G. "Williams, A. M.,. Hamilton College, ..2 years. 

1859, Joseph E. Scott, A. B., do. do. ..12-3 y'rs. 

1861, M. M. Baldwin, A. M., Hobart College, 7 years. 



Groton Village' -Trustees. 

First Board, elected August 4, 1860 — Filander H. Robinson, 
Robert C. Reynolds, Wm. Williams, Wm. Woodbury, Daniel S. 
DeLano. 

Second Board, elected March 5, 1861 — F. H. Robinson, Lyman 
Perrigo, Corydon W. Conger, Wm. Williams, Samuel S. Speucer. 

1862 — C W. Conger, Erastus G. Moe, Sampson S. Williams, 
Hiland K. Clark, Lyman Perrigo. 

1863 — Sidney Hopkins, Ezra Halsey, David V. Linderman, Jo- 
seph Shaw, Harrison Bowker. 

1864 — Gilman D. Crittenden, Chapin P. Atwood, Henry Thom- 
as, David V. Linderman, Benj. F. Field. 

1865— Sidney Hopkins, Daniel W. Hall, Gilbert A. Wilson, 
Samuel C. Reynolds, Manly P. Gale. 

1866 — Nelson Harris, Hiram C. Marsh, Lyman Perrigo, Dexter 
Allen, William Morton. 

1867 — Nelson Harris, Walter W. White, C. Burr Green, Jerome 
Hathawav, H. C. Marsh. 

1868— Walter W. White, Aaron Woodbury, Isaac Butler, E. C. 
Moe, Harvey D. Spencer. 



Groton Motel— Landlords, 

Azariah Dodge, (1818 to 1825) ; Rob't C. Reynolds, (1825 to 
1841) except one year by Alanson Reeil; Washington Rowley and 
Sanders; Mrs. W. Rowley; Thomas Morgan; Daniel Nye, (8 
years); Harrison Bowker; Geo. W. Carpenter; Corydon AV. Con- 
ger; Volney and David Bothwell; Dexter Allen; H. A.Phelps; 
T. E. Smith ; Capt. Jo Shaw ; John N. McWhorter ; and Ansoij: 
Wjckotf. 



(^xaim f Ulagc ^mim^^ §'xxukK^. 



Tin and, Monoinr Ware^ 

KEROSENE OIL, LAMPS AND GLASS WARE, 

FRUIT JARS, 

AGEICULTUBAL IMPLEMENTS, HOUSE TBIMMINQS, 

<&c., (&c., (S;c. 

Agents for Micliael's Patent Anti-Freezing Force Pump. 

^p^ Particular attention given to putting up Eve Troughs and 
Conductors. Rags, Beeswax, old Copper, Brass, Lead, &c., &c., 
taken in exchange for goods. 



L. M. MORTON 
W. J. MORTON 



a 



E. A. MARSH, 

Dealer In 

Staple and Fancy Dry-Goods, 



GROCEItlES, CROCKERY, 

HATS & CAPS, BOOTS & SHOES, 

, PAPER HANGINGS, &c., &c. 
Opposite the Groton Hotel, Corner Main and 3fill Streets, 



32 



JACOBS BROTHERS, 

DEALEKS IN 

DRY GOOD8, 

Consisljng of Dress Goods, White Goods, Woolen Goods, Linen Goods, Ho- 
siery, Shawls, Curtains, Carpets, Cloths, Fancy Ti-immings, &c. 

Also, a large and fine stock of 

Groceries, Hardware, Crock- 
ery, Hats and Caps, 

Wall Faper^ WTindo'mr Shades^ 

And nearly everything that can be found in first-class country stores. 
' Most kinds of Country Produce taken in exchange. 
Store in Union Block, oj)posife the G-roton Hotel. 

^' \ GROTON, N. T. 



C. B. JACOBS, 
R. W. JACOBS. 




POWERS & PENNOYER'S 



'JbtM 



Manufactor3f 

GROTON, N. Y. 

CARRIAGES AND BUGGIES, PLATFORM SPRING AND 
LUMBER WAGONS, CUTTERS, SLEIGHS, &c., 

Kept on hand for sale, and manufactured to order, and warranted equal to the 
best, in every respect. I^^Shop on Mill street, near the Railroad. 

Watches, Clocks & Jewelry. 

G. A. BARTLEITT^ 

Dealer in Watches, Clocks, Silver and Pla- 
ted Ware, Spectacles, Gents' and Ladies' Pins, 
Rings, Bracelets, Hooks, Chains, Gold Pens, 
Silver Thimbles, & first class Jewelry. 

Particular attention paid to Repairing. Silver Plating done in the best 
manner. All work warranted. SETH THOMAS Clocks for sale. 




33 



Groton Iron Works. 



A FIRST CLASS 



Machine Shop and Foundry « 

C. & L. PEEEiaO & CO., Proprietors. 

We manufacture and put up in the most substantial and complete manner, 

THE 




Warranted equal to tlie best in every respect. 

GROTON HORSE POWER, 

Of wide-world reputation for excellence and durability, having stood pre-t'ui- 
inent for the past fifteen years, and conceded the best machine of the kind 

manufactured. Over 1500 of these Powers are now in use. 
We also manufacture Horse Powers of smaller capacity, either for two or 

four hoi-ses, for wood sawing, light threshing, and many other purpcses. 



STARKS & PERRIGO'S PATENT 



M 






Capable of Planing 120 Spokes an Hour. 

We also manufacture in the most perfect manner, 

Sawing Machines, Mortising Machines, Barrel and 

Firkin Machines, Tow-Dressing Machines, Plows, 

Cauldron Kettles, Sleigh Shoes, Mauls, 

And most kinds of Castings and Tools needed by Farmers and Mill Owncis. 
The highest price paid fur old cast iron. Send for circuhir. 



34 



SPENCER & THOMAS, 



DEALERS IN 



DRY GOODS, 

Groceries, Hardware, Crock- 
ery, Hats and Caps, 

PAINTS AND OILS, CARPETS, PAPER HANGINGS, &c. 

Also, a large and fine stock of 

Cloths and Cassimeres and Gents' Furnislaing Goods. 

Custom Tailoring, GarraoutB cut and made to order. 
fe#^ Most kinds of Country Produce taken in exchange. 
Store on Cortland Street^ nearlij opposite Groton Hotel, 

H. ?HOMAr''' } CIROTON, N. Y. 



Staple and Fancy Dry-Goods, 

Carpets^ Oil Gloths^ 

LADIES' & GENTS' FUJRNISIIING GOODS, 

GROCERIES, PAPER HANGINGS, HATS, CAPS, &c. 
Store in Unioti Bloclc, opposite the Groton Hotel. 

S.C.REYNOLDS,) P."Sll^'Pfir|)W W W 

H.K.CLARK. I m^^^l^W^^^ ^48 Hi* 

W. H. BURNHAM & CO., 

GENERAL 

PRODUCE DEALERS. 

In Basement of Union Block, Groton. 

We buy all kinds of Produce throughout the season, and jiay the highest 
market jn-ice. Salt; Water Lime, Oil Meal, &.c., lor sale. 



35 



ITOM CARRIAGE WORKS 



Corner of 

Main and Spring 

Streets. 




S.S.WILLIAMS, 

Proprietor. 



ONE AND TWO-IIORSE 

CARRIAGES & BUGGIES, 

DEMOCRAT WAGONS, 

PLATFORM SPRING WAGONS, 

LUMBER WAGONS, 

GUTTBRS and SInBIC^HS^ 

Of the most serviceable and modern Bt3'les. 

The mechanical work in every depaitment is performed by the most expe- 
rienced ■workmen, and no pains are spared to procure the best material of all 
kinds used in the business. 

REPAIRING done Avith despatch, and in the best manner. 

ADAMS BROTHERS, 

Dealers in 

Groceries, Provisions, 

BOOKS, STATIONERY, 



PERFUMERY, CONFECTIONERY, 

YANKEE NOTIONS, &c., &c. 

Also, NEWSPAPERS, and all NEW PUBLICATIONS. 

Our stock of Groceries consist of 

Sugars, Teas, Coffees, Spices, Molasses, 

Flour, Soda, Saleratus, Fruits, Syrups, 

Fish, Pork, Candles, Kerosene Oil, &c. 

Butter, Eggs, Lard, Dried Fruit, &c., taken in exchange for Goods. 
,Storp, corner of Cortland and Cayuga streets — old stand of S. DeLaiia. 



36 




BACKUS & BOWMAN, 

erchant Tailors! 

And Manufacturers of and Dealers in 



Constantly on liand, a full stock of 

CLOTHS, CASSIMERES, 

TBIIIMIJSGS, 

Gents' Furnishing Goods, Hats and Caps. 

Custom Tailoring-, and Garmenti Cut and Made to 
Order, and Good Fits Warranted. 

1^ Store in South end of Hotel Block, Main Street. ,^^ 

New Furniture Rooms! 

X I. BO^OTH, 

Having completed his new Cabinet Shop and Furniture Kooms, on [TIa.ilt 
Street, Groton, is offeiiug his stock of Furniture, consisting of . 

Sofas, Tables, Stands, Bureaus, Bedsteads, Chairs, 
Picture Frames, Looking Glasses, 

And everything in the line ot Furniture, at the Lowest Prices. 

Having recently refitted his HEARSE, no pains will be spared to give 
satisfaction to those who may need the services of an Undertaker. 

ROBINSON & WRIGHT, 

* Manufacturers of and Dealers in 

i}00ts mu\ Mm^ and llulrto (^mK 



Next Boor to First National Bank, Cortland Street. 

A most complete stock of goods, from the best manufacturers, and also of our 
own make, constantly on hand, and to be sold CHEAP FOE FAY. 

J^articiilar Attention Given to Custom Workf 

-And satisfaction guaranteed in all cases. 



37 

CHEAPEST PAPER IN TOMPKINS COUNTY 



The Groton Journal 

Is PuUished Every Friday Morning, 

Only $1.50 a Year! 

Six Months, 75 cts. Three Months, 38 cts. 

Subscriptious received at any time, or for six or three montlis. Sent by mail 

to any address in the United States or Canadas on receipt of price. 

Advertisements inserted at usual rates. 



Of Every Description, Executed in the very Best Style and at Fair Prices. 



Office in New " Journal Building," up Stairs. 

H. C. MARSH, Editor and Proprietor. 



GROTOH 

RAIM SEPARATOR work; 



PERRIGO & AVERY", Proprietors. 



Manufacturers of the 



Tompkins Co. Thresher and Separator. 

Over One Thousand Noiv in Use ! 



BIRDSALL'S PATENT 
CLOVER THRESHER AND HULLER. 



NORTH STAR WASHING MACHINE. 

Clieese Boxes, Ciieese Turners, &c. 
■Smcinf/, Flanhig and Turning done hjj ExiKrknced Worhncn. 



38 



NEW BRICK STORE. 



L. TEDMAS & CO., 

GROCERS 

PRODUCE BUYERS, 

AKD 

General Provision Dealers. 



\ 



Always on hand and selling at Low Prices, an extensive stock of 

FAMILY GROCERIES, PAINTS AND OILS, 

SALT, FLOUR, MEAL, &C., &C. 

At the New Brick Store, First Door North of 
Goodyear^ s Hall, Main Street. 

LEVI THOMAS, JOHN A. THOMAS. 

H. SCOFIELD, 

AGKXT FOR THE CELEBRATED 
THE 

Best Family Machine in Use. 

Perfected after many years of experiment and use, they are simple, with few 
parts, easily adjusted, and quiet in action. 

OIL, NEEDLES, &c., always on hand, ^p" Residence on Main street. 

E. C. MOE, M. D., Physician and Siirg-oon. Residence on Cort- 
land street, nearly opposite Baptist Olmrcb. 

S. U. JONES, M. D., Ilomceopatliic Physician and Surgeon. Ke- 
sidenco on Cortland street. 

JOHN GOODYEAR, Physician and Surgeon. Residence on 
Cortland street, foot of Church street. 

E. R. WEAVER, M. D., Physician and Siu-geon. Residence cor- 
ner Cortland and Williams streets. 

WM. W. HARE, Attorney and Counselor at Law. Ollice in the 
Union Block, up stairs. 



39 

S. HOPKINS, Justice of the Peace. Office in Union Block. 

N. M. THORNE, Surgeon and Mechanical Dentist. Rooms in 
Union Block, up stairs. 

L. A. BARBER, Surgeon and Mechanical Dentist. Rooms in 
Union Block, up stairs. 

M. A. AVERY, Builder. Shop in south part of the village, near 
the Railroad Depot. 

HENRY GRAIN, House Painting, Graining and Paper Hanging. 
Residence on Church street. 

D. V. LINDERMAN, Manufacturer of Carriage Bodies and Cut- 
ter Woods. Residence on Main street. 

C. D. ALLEN, Druggist, Main street. 

MORTON & BLISS, Harness Makers. Dealers in Trunks, 

Whips, Horse Trimmings, &c. Hotel Block. 
S. KELLY, Boot and Shoo Maker. Shop on Main street. 

C. HURLBUT, Blacksmith. Shop on Spring street, near the Sul- 

phur Spring. 
S. M. HALL, Dealer in and Manufacturer of Boots and Shoes. 

Cortland street. 
S. ASHLEY, Cabinet Ware Manufacturer and Dealer. Rooms 

and shop, corner of Cortland and Williams streets. 
McNEAL BROTHERS, Sash and Blinds, Lumber, &c. Factory 

on Williams street. 
H. M. FOLEY, Harness Maker. Shop in Adams Bros' Grocery 

Building, up stairs, 
GROTON HOTEL— A. WYCKOFF, Proprietor. 
GROTON FLOURING MILL— F. A. Sherman, Proprietor. 
F. H. ROBINSON, Life Insurance Agent. 

D. B. BACKUS, Produce Dealer, and Agent of Guardian Mutual 

Life Insurance Co. 

M. M. BALDWIN, Surveyor. Residence on Church street. 

A. S. BEACH, Life, Fire, and Live Stock Insurance Agent. 

TELEGRAPH OFFICE— in Union Block. 

John Keefe, Grocery, Main street. L. J. Covert, Tobacco and Cigars, 

A. Wait, Meat Market, " Cortland street. 

Theo. Malmberg, Saloon, " G. A. Wilson, Livery, Cortland st. 

E. F, Bills, Carriage maker, " Ezra Halsey, Liverv, Cajniga st. 
Mrs. E. F. Bills, Pliotographs," T. Murray, Blacksmith " " 

C. L. Adams, Cooper, " H. B. Clark, Stage proprietor. Cay. st. 
Miss M. Lanterman, Milliner, " P. McKean, Tailor, ovur post-office. 
Mrs. O. E. Keeney, Milliner, " G. C. Woodruff, Photographs. 

Miss M. V. Brokaw, Milliner, Church Snyder & Lobdell, Brick makers. 

street. Wm. Williams, Kotarv Public. 

Mrs. G. W. Allen, Milliner, Union B'k. D. IT. Marsh, Notary Public. 
Mrs. S. M. Clough, Millinei-, residence. F. S. Woods, Barber, Hotel Block. 

D. H. Brown, Spring Bed maker. II. N. Buck, Blacksmith. 



40 



1868. 



D. B. MARSH & Co., dealers in Dry Goods, Groceries, Crockery, 

Hardware, &c. 
C. D. HART & CO., dealers in Groceries, Provisions, Yankee 

Notions, &c. 
M. M. CRANE, dealer in Dry Goods, Groceries, &c. 

A, S. BEACH, Life, Fire, and Live Stock Insurance Agent. 

E, COLE, Patentee and Manufacturer of "COLE'S BUCK- 

WHEAT HULLER." 
KING & SANDWICH, Leather Manufacturers and Proprietors of 

the McLean Tannery. 
DUDLEY Andrews', Cabinet Ware, Undertaking, Turning,&c. 

C. DUTCHER, Manufacturer of Boots and Shoes. 
H. C. HOWLAND, Blacksmith. 

WM. S. CLARK, Hardwai-e, Tin and Sheet Iron Ware. 
ELM TREE HOUSE— Daniel W. Rowley, Proprietor. 
WILLIAMS & STONE, dealers in Groceries, &c. 

B. H. WAKELEY, Proprietor of McLean Foundry. 

McLEAN FLOURING MILL— D. B. Marsh & Co., Proprietors. 

V. B. GROSS, Firkin Manufacturer. 

Thos. Fisher, Harness Shop. Albert Wilcox, Justice of Peace, 

N. Conklin, Tailor. Garry Chambers, Attorney. 

Geo. Lindsey, Boots and Shoes. Garry E. Chambers, Notary Pub. 

" " Livery Stable. Oliver Laning, Physician. 

D. W. Rowley, Livery Stable. Richard Laning, Physician. 

Booth, Barber Shop. A. Robinson, Physician. 

Wm. Ellis, Carriage Shop. Miss Hattie Stone, Milliner. 
D. W. AVoodbury & Co., Black- Miss Mary Wilcox, Milliner. 

smiths. Mrs. A. Albright, Milliner. 

J. H. Stanton, Blacksmith. A. J. Freese, Horse Dealer. 

McLEAN CHEESE FACTORY— Established in 1864. 

Amount of Cheese Manufactured in 1864, lbs., 309,833 

" " " 1865,11)3., -■-. .''>40,456 

" " 186r),lbs., 4r2..584 

" " " 1867, lbs., 45;5,:}'i9 

Total, 1,716,202 




JIftttltal gkttti 




TOWN OF GROTON, 



TOMPKINS COUNTY, N. Y., 



LECTURE 



DELIVERED BEFORE THE 



GROTON LITERARY ASSOCIATION, 

BY 

Prof, M, M. BALDWIN, M. A., 

rRINClPAL OF GROTON ACADEMY, 

FRIDAY EVENING, APRIL 10, 1868. 



PUBLISHED BY THE ASSOCIATION. 




GROTON, N. Y.: 

II. C. MAU.SH, PKINTEK, GROTON JOURXAI. OKl'ICE 
^ • 1868. 





Groton Academy. 



This excellent and well established Institution of Learning will enter 
upon its Tliirty-Second Academic Year, on Monday the 24th 
day of August next, under the charge of its present Principal, 

PROF. M. M. BALDWIN, M. A., 

Aided by a full Boai-d of competent and successful Instructors. 

Mr. Baldwix has now pi-esided over the Institution for seven years — 
a period longer than that of any other of its Principals ; and its record for 
that time compares very favorably with that of any other seven years of its 
existence. The School is certainly very prosperous, and will, no doubt, in- 
ci'ease in popularity and influence for years to come. 

Its location is very fine, being situated on the line of the Southern Cen- 
tral Railroad, now in process of construction, in the beautiful, thriving and 
healthy village of Groton, remote from the disturbing, debasing and ruin- 
ous influences of large villages and cities. No license for the sale of intox- 
icating liquors in the village or vicinity, has this year been granted. 

The great mass of the people are intelligent, moral and industi'ious, and 
generally strive to make the stay of students among them pleasant and pro- 
fitable to the students. 

The Expenses are as light as they can be found any where in first-class 
schools. Good Board and Rooms secured for pupils on application to the 
Principal. 



CALENDAR FOB 1868-9. 

The Fall Temi Begins Monday, August 2Ath, 1868, 
Ends Nov. 26th, 1868. 

The Winter Term Begins Monday, Bee. \-ith, 1868, 
Ends March 11th, 1869. 

The Spring Term Begins Monday, March 2dth, 1869, 
Ends My \st, 1869. 

GMOTON, N. Y., June 5, 1S6S. 

Dk. E. 0. MOE, President. 
S. 0. Reynolds, Secretary. 




I3(t. 








First National Bank 



AUTSOUIZEJ) CAPITAL, - $200,000. 
CAPITAL PAID IN, - ' - $100,000. 
SURPLUS FUND, 3Iay 1, 1868, $11,000. 



CHARLES PERRIGO, President. 
CLINTON BOWKER, Vioe-Pres't. 
D. H. MARSH, ■ • - Casliie;i<. 



This Bank transacts a General Banking Business. 

Loans Money on Good KSecurity. 

Buys and sells Government Bonds and Gold and 
Silver at Current Rates. 

Converts 7-30 Notes into 5-20 Bonds, free of charge. 

Buys and sells New York Exchange. 

Makes Collections on all points on the Most Favor- 
able Terms. 

We are prepared to sell Sight Drafis on England, Scotland, France and 
all parts of Germany in amounts to suit purchasers. 

As the Stockholders are personally liahlo to an amount ei[ual to the 
stock owned, we feel confident of being able to make depositors secure, as 
our Deposits rarely exceed our Capital. 

DIBECTOIiS. 

CIIAS. PERRIGO, S. C. REYNOLDS, 

LYMAN PERRIGO, C. P. ATWOOD, 

D. H. MARSH, NELSON HARRIS, 

CLINTON BOWKER, ARTEMUS BACKUS, 

cx^ NELSON STEVENS. @^ 







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